Away from home - Melbourne in 2015

This is a long overdue post about some of the meals we prepared and some of the restaurants and cafés we visited when we were in Melbourne earlier this year.

Sushi Salad

Lately we have had leftovers from our weekly takeaway sushi. Inspired by reality TV cooking shows and the sushi salmon salads I enjoyed while working in North Sydney, I created a ‘sushi salad’ that I serve with our dinner the following night.

Tomato, Chilli and Ginger Damper

Winter time and my thoughts turn to soups and breads.

Away from Home - The Hunter Valley Again!

During our last trip to the Hunter Valley I discovered that Sting and Paul Simon were performing at the Hope Estate Winery on Valentine's Day. Hubby and I couldn't think of a better reason to return to the Hunter.

Mustard and White Wine Vinegar Dressing for Oysters

I love oysters and always prepare them for special occasions and holidays. This is probably my favourite dressing and it's so quick and easy to prepare.

Away from home - Adelaide

Hubby and I seem to be slowly ticking off state capitals when we take our annual leave. This time we flew to Adelaide, South Australia. We last visited Adelaide about 10 years ago. Back then we stayed at Glenelg, a beachside suburb, about a 30-minute tram trip from the CBD. This time we stayed in an apartment in the CBD.

Similar to past Away from home posts, this post describes our grocery list for the week, the meals we prepared and some of the restaurants and cafés we visited.

Pumpkin Soup with Chilli and Ginger

Another variation on pumpkin soup!

Winter is here so I'm looking for soup recipes that are quick and easy to make. Pumpkin soup is obviously a favourite of ours and this version is not thick like the basic pumpkin soup or creamy like the pumpkin soup with chilli. I used less pumpkin to make a lighter soup—lighter in taste, texture and calories—yet still deliver a soup with a bit of a kick to warm the insides.

Oysters Kilpatrick

Oysters are a special treat for Hubby and me—we order oysters whenever they appear on a restaurant menu and I will prepare them for special occasions. Oysters Kilpatrick is an old favourite.

Creamy Tomato Soup

The Winter Solistice—it's cold, it's dark, it's time for soup! A creamy, spicy tomato soup entrances the senses and warms the body.

Quick Congee

Quick and easy to make! Warm and fulfilling on a cold night.

Hubby was away on business so I took the opportunity to cook a childhood favourite, quick congee, or as we called it, quick juk. As kids we preferred the quick juk to the ‘real’ juk, which had amongst its ingredients dried bean curd, water chestnuts and red dates. I still prefer the quick juk. It's a versatile dish—I will cook it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Guacamole

Guacamole is a Mexican avocado dip. This recipe was developed by a friend. You can vary the quantities of all the ingredients to suit your tastes. The recipe here does not include tomatoes or onions, which are usually part of a traditional guacamole.

Chinese Lamb Soup

Can you tell that it's unusually cold in Sydney at the moment? This is my fourth soup recipe in three months!

Pumpkin Soup with Chilli

With two and a half butternut pumpkins, unseasonally bitter, cold weather and a body threatening to succumb to a cold, I've been scouring the Internet for pumpkin soup that includes warming herbs such as chilli and garlic.

‘Indian’ Vegetable Soup

Sometimes experiments can turn out to be the most delicious dishes.

I was looking for an Indian soup (if one existed) to accompany a curry. Inspired by the Winter Vegetable & Tofu Korma soup recipe at 101 Cookbooks, I adapted the Ten Mothers Garlic Soup to create this delicious vegetable soup.

Pumpkin Soup

Autumn has arrived, the days are getting cooler, and our thoughts are turning to more comforting fare. Butternut pumpkin (a.k.a butternut squash) is in season so pumpkin soup is on the menu. I love to make a batch then freeze portions for those nights when Hubby and I both come home late from work.

Quick Vol Au Vents

Something quick and warm for those late, cold winter's nights.

Quick Pasta

As long as I have pasta and a tin of tomatoes in the pantry, I always have the basis of this quick meal.

Smoked Salmon Fettucine

A special dish!

I like to serve this dish for romantic dinners or special occasions such as anniversaries.

Greek-Style Salad

My brother tells me that this is not a true Greek salad, hence the Greek-style in the name. As he's visited Greece and sampled the food there, I guess he would know.

Ten Mothers Garlic Soup

There is a folk saying that “Garlic is as good as ten mothers”.

This recipe is adapted from a care2 recipe and what I can remember of a recipe that was published in Yoga Journal for an article on healing soups. Hubby and I used this soup all through Winter to fight off colds and flus.